Straight bar knitting machine



Feb. 23, 1954 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 23, 1954 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 24, 1951 Mar WILL! W Inverdo Feb. 23, 1954 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1951 Kunr Wu. wlcxmor [mar Patented Feb. 23, 1954 STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Kurt Willi Wickardt, Liverpool, England, assignor to Hosemaster Machi Liverpool, England, a

ne Company Limited, British company Application March 24, 1951, Serial No. 217,353

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 27, 1950 14 Claims.

The present invention relates to straight bar knitting machines, and is especially, although not exclusively, applicable to straight bar knitting machines for knitting full fashioned hosiery.

Such machines embody a-row of needles and other loop-forming elements to form a knitted fabric, and cams are provided to control the motions of these various elements.

It is necessary for certain of these cams for example the draw cams to be taken out of operation and then to be put into operation again, i. e. to be rendered stationary for certain intervals of time whilst the machine continues to run i. c. it is necessary for such cams to be intermittently operated. This involves the use of clutching means for driving the cams from a source of power, usually from a main cam shaft. The clutching means are usually of the dog-clutch type, that is to say they are of the type in which the cam or the like is almost immediately brought Up to the speed ofits driving means as the clutch is brought into engagement. Clutching means of this type, as distinct from friction clutches or other gradually applied clutches, have been used by reason of the necessity for accurate phase relationship between each cam and its driving means so as to preserve the timing between the various parts of the whole machine. Thus, a good deal of shock has been necessarily involved in the engagement of these cams with their driving means.

The present invention consists in a nonfrictional clutching device for such intermittently operated cams or other intermittently rotatable parts of a straight bar knitting machine, which will achieve a more gradual acceleration of the cam or other part whilst preserving its phase relationship with its driving means. More particularly, in a straight-bar knitting machine including at least one intermittently operated element such as an intermittently operated cam driven in a given direction, the present invention consists in the provision of a clutching device adapted to afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element in said given direction to bring it into a given phase relationship with its driving means, said clutching device including a driving member and a driven member, which latter may be said intermittently operated element, one of said members having an abutment, such as a groove or rib, of gradually changing direction including a portion directed substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst the other of said members has a withdrawable element adapted to engage said abutment, means being provided for bringing said withdrawable element and said abutment into engagement by producinga condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction.

Means may similarly be provided for achieving a gradual disconnection between the driving and driven members. Thus, oppositely curved and intermerging grooves or ribs on one of the members may be adapted for engagement by a single withdrawable element, such for example as a pin, which can be transferred from one groove, after engagement of the clutch, to the other under the control of a suitable latch or detent mechanism adapted to prevent the slidable element from retracing its path along the first groove or rib. Alternatively, one of the members may have two separate oppositely curved grooves or ribs adapted for engagement with two withdrawable elements, one of which is engageable with one of the grooves or ribs to achieve a clutching of the driven member to the driving member, whereupon the other withdrawable element is engaged with the other groove or rib and the first withdrawable element disengaged.

In a particular form of construction, for example, a rotatable cam or like driven member may have a cylindrical outer surface with oppositely curved grooves formed in its cylindrical surface from one edge thereof, these cam grooves at their open ends being spaced apart by a distance greater than their spacing attheir closed ends. The driving member, such for example as a shaft, may be provided with a spider bearing two spaced radially directed clutching pins adapted to be moved endwise, i. e. in a radial direction, for respective engagement with and withdrawal from said grooves of the driven memher.

For engagement and disengagement of the pins with the cam grooves, means may be provided for collectively moving them in the axial direction of the cam and for individually moving them in the radial direction. Their axial movement may be achieved by axial movement of the spider on which they are mounted.

Movements of said pins in the radial direction may be controlled by profile elements located in their path of travel and engaging with projections on the pins extending in the axial direction of the cam. One such profile element maybe provided in the path of travel of the pins for inwardly displacing one of the pinsto bring it into a position for engagement with one of the grooves in'the cam, whilsta second profile element may thereafter withdraw the other pin after it has brought the cam into motion at equal speed with its driving means. A second set of profile elements may be provided for withdrawing the first-mentioned pin and inwardly displacing the second pin into a position for engagement with one of the grooves in the cam or drive element afterthe first pin has decelerated the cam or drive element'and been disengaged therefrom.

The present invention is especially useful for the starting and stopping of the rotary cam which controls the slur cock which actuates the sinkers.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example embodiments of the invention as applied to a Cottons patent straight bar knitting machine.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan View or one embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a back elevation of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic detail to an enlarged scale showing the paths of movement of the driving member in space and relative to the driven member before, during, and after engagement and disengagement,

\ Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic detail to an enlarged scale showing one stage during the engagement of the clutch,

Fig. 5 is a detail view to an enlarged scale in section taken along the line V--V of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention,

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic end sectional view of Fig. 6 to enlarged scale with certain parts removed,

Fig. 8 is a plan view to an enlarged scale corresponding to Fig. '7,

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic detail to an enlarged scale showing the paths of the driving member in space and relative to the driven member before, during and after engagement and disengagement, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of a third embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings there has only been shown sufficient detail of the parts of the knitting machine as will enable the present invention to be understood and other parts which will be well known to those skilled in the art have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

In the drawing like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. Driving shaft H carried in bearings in frame members I2 and i2 carries driven member is loosely between collars l4, l5. Driving member I5 is slidably carried on shaft l I and keyed to rotate therewith by means of key [1, and carries one or more extensions l8, l8 each carrying a pin 49 or two complementary pins 20, l

which are adapted to engage with grooves 36, 31 formed in the driven member I3 as will be hereinafter described. Axial movement of the driving member 16 to bring it into engagement with the driven member is effected by means of axial cam 22 and radially displaceable cam roller 23 when in its inner position, as indicated by 23, and reverse movement of driving member l6 to bring it out of engagement with the driven member by means of oppositely directed axial cam 24 and roller 23 when in its outer position. The roller 23 is carried at one end of a pin 25 connected to a plate 2'! carrying a follower 28 cooperating with a radial cam 29 on the shaft II, and also carrying a further pin 30, both pins 28 and 39 passing through a fixed support 33. The plate is resiliently urged towards the support by spring 32. A detent 34 movable into and out of the space between the plate 21 and the support 33 by means of rod 35 in a manner known per se prevents or permits movement of the plate 21. When the detent 3 is moved out of the space the plate ll, and hence the roller 23, is moved inwardly towards the shaft H under the con trol of the radial cam 29;, thus moving theroller '23 out of the region of engagement with one axial cam 24 and into the region of the other axial cam 22 to bring about axial movement of the driving member l6.

Two grooves 35, 31 are provided on the driven member i3 for the engagement and disengagement of the pin !9 or pins 2i), 2! which extend radially inwardly from the extension 18 on the driving member Hi. The curved grooves extend generally axially of the driven member [3 and have outer portions 36, 31 at the end of the hub inclined to the axis of the hub, and inner end portion parallel to the axis of the hub, i. e. at right angles to the direction of rotation of the hub. The outer portion of each groove is preferably at such an angle to the axis of the driven member that it corresponds with the direetionof movement of the radially inwardly extending roller or pin on the driving member at the instant of its first coming into contact with or going out of contact with the driven member. Thus in engagement a pin may engage the hub with a minimum of shock and further axial movement of a pin after initial engagement causes the pin to travel down the groove until it reaches the inner end of the groove which extends axially of the driven member, thus accelerating the driven member until both driven and driving members are rotating at the same speed.

The two grooves 36, 31 are complementary to one another, 1. 2. they are oppositely curved, the pin moving inwardly along one groove 36 during engagement and outwardly along the other 31 during disengagement.

The two grooves 36 and 31 may merge at their inner ends as shown particularly in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings, thereby enabling a single pin E8 to be used, or may be separated from one another as shown particularly in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 thereby requiring the use of two pins 29, 2| in succession.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5 will now be described in greater detail. The two grooves 35 and 3'! merge at their inner ends 1. e. at the axial portion, as is shown in Fig. 2 and more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The two grooves, are, however, separated adjacent their axial portion by a small rotatable insert in the form of a circular disc inserted in a transverse opening in the driven member so that it will be rotatable about a radial axis and having an upstanding more or less triangular shaped tongue 38 one apex of which adjoins the junction of the adjacent walls of the two grooves 36, 3? so that it is adapted, by rotation, to open one groove and close the other. The insert is resiliently urged by spring as into the position shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3 so as normally to open groove 31.

The paths of movement of the pin iii in space and relatively to the driven member l3 before, during and after engagement are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3 which is a developed view of the driven member. Prior to engagement the pin 19 travels along the path indicated by the chain dotted line 4! and-during engagement the driving member is moved axially by means of cam 22 and roller 23, so that the pin i9 is caused to travel along the path indicated by full arrows 42 and after engagement the pin will travel along the path indicated by chain dotted line 63. During engagement the pin 19 will enter the leading portion 3% of groove 35, move along groove 36, and contact one side of insert tongue 39 causing it to rota e in an anticlockwise direction to After passage of the pin I9 the insert 38' is returned to its normal position by spring '40 to close the first passage 36 and open the second passage 31 in preparation for the movement of the pin therealong during disengagement.

The paths of movement of the pin I9 inspace and relatively to the driven member I3 before,

during, and after disengagement are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Prior to disengagement the pin I9 travels along the path indicated by the chain dotted line 43 and during disengagement the driving member is moved axially, in the opposite direction to that during engagement, by axial cam 24 and roller 23', so that the pin I9 is caused to travel along the'path indicated by the open arrows 45, and after disengagement the pin will travel once more along the path indicated by the chain dotted line 4|. The path of movement of the pin I9 from its engaged position I9, and along groove 31 relatively to the driven member I3 during disengagement is indicated inlFig.'3 by the chain dotted arrows 45.

It will be understood that the purpose of the insert 38 and tongue 39 is to ensure that the'pin I9 travels along groove 31, and not along groove 36, during disengagement.

In another embodiment shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 the driven member I3 provided with two separate circumferentially spaced grooves 36, 31 and two circumferentially spaced pins 20, 2| are provided on the driving member I6 each to engage one of the grooves. It is, however, necessary that for engagement one pin 20 must be moved inwardly radially into a positionto engage one groove 36 while the other pin 2| is moved outwardly into a position to clear the outer face of the driven member I 3.

For this reason oppositely directed axially extendin projections 41 and 48 are provided adjacent the outer ends of pins 26, 2| respectively which are radially slidable in extension I8 of the driving member and means such as detent pins 49, 50 and compression spring co-operating with notches 52 formed in the pins 20 and 2| are provided for locating each pin in either an inner position, for engagement with a groove in the driven member, or in an outer position for nonengagement with a groove. Additionallytwo sets of cam surfaces 53, 54 and '55, 56 on brackets 51, 58 attached to the machine framework,'are provided to contact the projection on the pins, the one set being operative when the driving member is in the disengaged position, and the other set when the driving member is in the engaged position. The cam surfaces are in'fixed angular relationship with one another and are axially spaced apart so that one cam surface in'e'ach set contacts the projection on one pm and the'other cam surface in the set partly concurrently and partly subsequently contacts the projection on the other pin. Thus cam surfaces 53 and 56 co-oper ate with projection 41 on pin 20 in the disengaged and engaged positions of the driving mm ber respectively, and cam surfaces 54 and 55 cooperate similarly with projection on pin 2 I. I The sequence of operations during'enga'gement and disengagement will now be described. .The

paths of movement of the pins 20, 2| :in space and relatively to the driven member before, during and after engagement are indicated diagrammatically ln Fig. 9 which is a developed view of the driven member. Prior to engagement, pin 26 is in its inner position and pin 2I in its outer position, and they travel along the path indicated by the chain dotted line M and during engagement the driving member I6 is moved axially by means of cam 22 and roller 23 so that pin 26 is caused to travel along the path indicated by full arrows 42, and after engagement along the path engagement the pin 20 will enter the leading portion 36' the axial inner end 3'6", the path of movement of the pin 20 relatively to the driven member during engagement is indicated in Fig. 9 by the dotted arrows 44.

After the pin 26 has engaged the corresponding groove 36 and reached the closed end 36" of the groove, thus having accelerated the drive element, projection 48 adjacent the outer end of the pin 2I engages cam surface so that the second pin 2I is pushed into its inner position and into engagement with the inner end 31" of th corresponding groove 31, whereupon projection 41 adjacent the outer end of the first pin 20 contacts cam surface 56 whereby the first pin 20 is drawn to its outer'position and out of engagement with itscorresponding groove 36. The clutch is'now ready for disengagement and deceleration of the drive element.

The paths of movement of the pins 26f, 2| in space and relatively to the driven member I3 before, during and after disengagement are indicated diagrammatically also in Fig. 9. Before disengagement the pins travel along the path indicated by chain dotted line '43,pin 2| being in its inner position in engagement with groove 31 and pin 20 being in its outer or disengageable position, and during disengagement the driving member I6 is moved axially, in the opposite direction to that during engagement, by axial cam 24 and roller 23 so that pin 2I is caused to travel along the path indicated by open arrows, and, after disengagement, along the path indicated by the chain dotted line 4|. During disengagement pin 2| travels down groove 31 and leaves the leading portion 31'. The path of movement of pin 2i relatively to the driven member during disengagement is indicated in Fig. 9 by the chain dotted arrows 46. The positions thenobtaining immediately after pin 2I leaves groove 31 are indicated diagrammatically in Figs. 7 and 8.

It will be seen that during engagementand disengagement' the axial movement of the driving member is related to its movement in the direction of drive and that the phase relationship of the driven member to the driving member is pre-' served during engagement, when engaged, and during disengagement.

After the deceleration and disengagementhas taken place cam surface 53 pushes the first pin 26 into its inner radial position while cam surface 54 draws the second pin 2| into its outer'radialposition in order to clear the outer face of the driven member when the next engagement of the clutch takes place. Thus the cam surfaces 55 and 56 are used only when the driving member is in the engaged position and the cam surfaces 53 and 54 onlywhenit is disengaged.

. The present invention maybe readily applied to the clutch which drivesthe-draw mechanism indicated by the chain dotted line 43. During of groove 36, move along groove 36 into 7 of: a straight bar -,-knitti-ng full fashioned hosiery.

The axial movement of the driving member for the engagement or disengagement of the drive element may-be obtained by one or more levers so as to increase the amount of movement obtained from the two axial cams, Moreover, the axial cams may be on the same shaft as the driving member and drive element, or alternatively they may be on another shaft. For example, in a straight bar knitting machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery the invention may as shown in Fig. 10 be applied to the driveof a draw cam 59 on a shaft H parallel to the main cam shatt ll of a machine, the axial earns 22, i i being on the main cam shaft 1.! and the driving member l6 and the driven member ls'being-on the, parallelshaft, lever 50 pivoted at-anpoint nearer one end than the other interconnecting the axial cams and the driving member is and being pivoted at 6| at a point nearer the one end than the other so as to increase the axial movement of the driving member 1 6 for a'given amount of axial movement of the cams 22, 24.

I claim:

1. In a straight bar knitting macl'iine for knitting fullfashioned hosiery including at least one intermittently operated element driven in a given direction and means to drive said element, the provision of a clutching device adaptedto afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element-in said given direction to bring it into a given phase relationship with said driving means, said clutching device includ ing a driving member and a driven member, one of said members having an abutment of gradually'changing direction including a portion di-' rected substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst the other of said members has a withdrawable element adapted to engage said abutment, means being provided for bringing said withdrawable element and said abutment into engagement by producing a condition of -rela' tive motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction.

2. In a straight bar knitting machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery including at least one intermittently operated element driven in a given direction and means to drive'said element, the

provision of a clutching device adapted to-afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element insaid given direction to bring it into a given-phase relationship with said'driving means, said clutching device including a rotating driving member and a rotatable driven member, one of said members having an abutment of gradually changing direction including a portion directed substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst the other of said members has a withdrawable element adapted to engage said abutment and means for bringing said withdrawable element and said abutment into engagement by axial displacement of said driving member during rotation thereof.

' 3. In 'a'straight bar knitting machine-for'knit ting full fashioned hosiery including at least .one'

intermittently operated element driven in a given direction and means to drive" said element; the provision of a clutching device adaptedto afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element in said givendirec-. tion to bring it into agiven phasev relationship withsaid driving means, said'jclutching deviceineluding a driving member and a'driven amem'ber,

machine forv-knitting one of said-members having an abutment of grad;-

ually changing direction including a portion di rected substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst the other of said members has a withdrawable element adapted to engag said abutment, means being provided for bringing said withdrawable element and said abutment into en gagernent by producing a condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction, said driven member having a cylindrical outer surface in which said abutment is formed as a curved groove closed atone end and open at the other and said driving member having a pin projecting therefrom for engagement in said groove, the closed end of said groove being directed substantially axially and thus in a direction at right angles to said given direction and the open end thereof being directed at an angle to said given direction corresponding to the direction of relative motion of said driven member and pin at the commencement of interengagement thereof.

4. In a straight bar knitting machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery including at least one intermittently operated element driven in a given direction and means to drive said element, the provision of a clutching device adapted to afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element in said given direction to bring it into a given phase relationship with said driving means and to afford a gradual but positiveretardation of said intermittently operated element to zero in said given direction, said clutch and. device including a driving member and a driven member, said driven member having two interconnected abutments each of gradually changing direction and each including a portion directed substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst said driving member has a with drawable element adapted to engage said abutments, means being provided for bringing said withdrawable element and one of said abutments into engagement by producing a condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction, means also being provided for bringing said. Withdrawable element and the other of said abutments out of engagement by producing another condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes, a component in said given direction, said driven member having a cylindrical hub in the cylindrical surface of which said abutments are formed as curved grooves, each groove having inner portion and having an outer portion at one end of said hub, said withdrawable element on said driving member comprising a pin projecting therefrom and adapted for engagement with said grooves, the inner portion of each of said grooves extending substantially axially of said hub, and thus in a direction at right angles to said given direction, said inner portion of said two grooves merging into one another to form a single inner portion common to both grooves, the outer portion of one of said grooves extending at an angle to said given direction, said angle corresponding 9 zero on interengagement of said pin with said one groove, and to reduce the speed of the driven member in said given direction gradually to zero on disengagement of said pin from said other roove.

5. In a knitting machine according to claim 4, a cam formed on the driving member, and shaped to correspond with the shape of said one of said grooves for moving said pin axially into engagement with the driven member.

6. In a knitting machine according to claim 4, a cam formed on said driving member and shaped to correspond with the shape of said other of said grooves for moving said pin axially out of engagement with. the driven member.

7. In a knitting machine according to claim 4, a displaceable member at the junction where said grooves merge into one another, means for resiliently loading said displaceable member to cause it normally to lie across said one of said grooves whilst permitting it to be displaced by said pin to lie across said other of said grooves, whereby to prevent said pin from being withdrawn along said one of said grooves after it has reached said single inner portion common to both grooves and to cause it when withdrawn to move along said other of said grooves.

8. In a straight bar knitting machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery including at least one intermittently operated element driven in a given direction and means to drive said element, the provision of a clutching device adapted to afford a gradual but positive acceleration of said intermittently operated element in said given direction to bring it into a given phase relationship with said driving means and to afford a gradual but positive retardation of said intermittently operated element to zero in said given direction, said clutching device including a driving member and a driven member, said driven member having two abutments each of gradually changing direction and each including a portion directed substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst said driving member has two withdrawable elements each adapted to engage one of said abut- 1 ments, means being provided for bringing one of said withdrawable elements and one of said abutments into engagement by producing a condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction, means also being provided for bringing the other of said withdrawable elements and the other of said abutments out of engagement by producing another condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction, said driven member having a cylindrical hub in the cylindrical surface of which said abutments are formed as curved grooves, each groove having an inner portion and having an outer portion at one end of said hub, said withdrawable elements on said driving member con1- prising pins projecting therefrom, each adapted for engagement with one of said grooves, the inner portion of each of said grooves extending substantially axially of said hub, and thus in a direction at right angles to said given direction, the inner portion of one of said grooves being spaced from the inner portion of the other of said grooves in said given direction by a distance substantially equal to the spacing between said pins projecting from said driving member, the outer portion of one of said grooves extending at an angle to said given direction, said angle corresponding to the direction of relative motion of said driven member and one of said pins when said one of said pins first comes into contact with said driven member, the outer portion of the other of said grooves extending at another angle to said given direction, said other angle corresponding to the direction of relative motion of said driven member and the other of said pins when said other of said pins comes out of contact with said driven member, whereby to raise the speed of the driven member in said given direction gradually from zero on interengagement of said one pin with said on groove, and to reduce the speed of the driven member in said given direction gradually to zero on disengagement of said other pin from said other groove.

9. In a knitting machine according to claim 8, a cam formed on the driving member and shaped to correspond with the shape of said one of said grooves for moving said one of said pins axially into engagement with the driven member.

10. In a knitting machine according to claim 8, a cam formed on the driving member and shaped to correspond with the shape of said other of said grooves for moving said other of said pins axially out of engagement with said driven member.

11. In a knitting machine according to claim 8, means for radially moving said spaced pins individually to render them respectively operative and inoperative and means for collectively moving said spaced pins axially whereby during engagement of said clutch said one of said pins is caused to move along said one of said grooves and during disengagement of said clutch said other of said pins is caused to move along said other of said grooves.

12. In a knitting machine according to claim 11 cams disposed in the paths of said pins and cooperating with axial projections on the pins to efiect radial movement thereof.

13. In a knitting machine according to claim 12 two sets of cams disposed in spaced relationship in the axial direction of the driving member so that one is set in the path of the pins when in the disengaged position and the other is set in the path of the pins in the engaged position.

14. In a straight bar knitting machine for knitting full fashioned hosiery including at least one intermittently operated cam driven in a given direction and means to drive said cam, the provision of a clutching device adapted to afford a gradual but positive acceleration to said intermittently operated cam in said given direction to bring it into a given phase relationship with said driving means, said clutching device including a driving member and a drive-n member, said driven member having an abutment gradually changing in direction and including a portion directed substantially at right angles to said given direction whilst said driving member has a withdrawable element adapted to engage said abutment, means being provided for bringing said withdrawable element and said abutment into engagement by producing a condition of relative motion therebetween which motion includes a component in said given direction.

KURT WILLI WICKARDT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,129,940 Zwicky Mar. 2, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 684,898 Germany Dec. '7, 1939 

